New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-20
4 TEST OF SINCERITY.

In two wears and four months this Admin
istration had appointed postmasters to 45,3o
out Of the SIS, 1877 post-ofiices In the country.
Under Republican Administrations consid-
cradle number Of Democrats were postmasters,
especially in Southern States and wherever the
numerical preponderance Of Democrats made
the selection of Republican source OF iri1-
tation. 1t Is probably safe to say that nine
tenths of the postmasters are now Democrats,
and moreover, most of the remaining offices
are so small and Improbable that 1t Is dill
cult, and in very many cases impossible 10
find anybody who will take Them Practcaliy
there has been clean sweep, as the Cfv1l ser
vice Reform Association at its annual meeting
sadly confessed The professional reformers
who brought about this change by swearing
on their personal knowledge that President
Cleveland was genuine reformer, are busy
explaining as best they can; all that concerns
the country Is that the old-fashiOned partisan
shin of Pierce and Buchanan has taken COM
plete possession Of the public service again,
through the election Of a pretended reformer
AS the Pennsylvania Republican Convention
saws, respecting this Administration, The
only energy they have exhibited has been In
the displacement Of experienced officers with
out cause, and In direct violation OF their Civil
Service pledges.
This charge Is true, and the practical people
Of this country Justly regard 1t as far more
important than the lip service and empty pre-
tcnce of love for reform which so recommend
President Cleveland to men like Mr.. Curtis
Even while President Cleveland pretends to
be jealous for the establishment OF a non
partisan Civil Service he appoints 45,373 post
masters In twenty eight months, or ], AT each
month and Gfty-seven each working day.
over seven each working hour, and one in
little over eight minutes for the entire time
he has acted as President And this Is one
of tho seven departments only; how many
appointments have been made In other de-
partments we are not told. This necessarily
means that the President has made no real
effort to ascertain the qualifications OF per-
sons appointed But in most Of the $4,000
cases experienced, faithful and thoroughly
competent officials were removed, or requested
TO resign, in order to make room Tor tho
rartisans of whose fitness the President knew
nothing and took no time to inquire. The
ono thing he certainly knew was that worthy
and faithful men were oustcd because they
were Republicans, and that inexperienced and
in many cases less competent men were APP
pointed because they were Democrats.
A party which calls this reform shows no
respect for the intelligence of the people
public leader or professional reformcr who
tines to make 1t appear that such absorbing
zeal in turning Olt tried and appointing un-
tried men Is consistent with an honest desire
for reform, sacrifices his claim TO be heard as
sincere and candid advocate Of better gov
ernment Assuming that the President has
made only as many changes in all other de-
partments as in tho postal service. nc has
turned out an experienced and worthy man,
and put in an inexperienced partisan, for
every four minutes OF his official time since
he hacame President